The Somerset reporter., 1887-01-19
Farmers institute.

!
/ lows. Io.N VI, discussion GA the subject,
More crops from the farm l.@o r N.
Methods IN corn culture, discussion +
/ Evening lecture on tie subject Western F
competitions Mr.. William ID Hayden, OF T
/ Madison Centre made very pertinent F
and acceptable addres, of welcome.
Hon Gilbert Secretary Of theBuard, +
responded and opened the discussion BY +
speaking Of the facilities enjoyed by Som
ersct people for ii high grade Of work
in farming ] lie prevailing business of
the County sto k-husbandry and hc said I
/ Somerset farmers had the best location T
and soil for this of any other part Of Lie +
/ State. lie stated that while the subject +
/ for this morning was more crops from
/ the farm topic he believed worthy OF +
careful consideration by Maine farmers,
| the programme Of these meetings is an /
elastic one and he hoped the farmers I
present would he free to ask questions /
and enter into the discussion Of topics if |
they were not strictly within the pre-
scribcd order of exercises. He spoke IN
favor Of increasing the grain product Of
the State and avoid 80 large an outlay H.
Is now made in the purchase Of corn.
s. |. liolbrOOk, member of the Board /
from Sagadahoc County spoke at some
length advocating more frequent changes +
the soil that needs more thorough cult I
walton to let loose the nanural properties
of tile soil. There should he Il systematic |
arrangement and rotation of crops to this |
end.
Mr.. Edmund IIcrscy, of Massachusetts
was called upon by Sec. Gilbert He |
smoke of the interest he had always taken |
in Maine Agriculture and alluded in com
plimcntary terms to her splendid crop of
live men, saying they had some good
specimens of this crop in his own State. |
He advocated the raising of corn stating
that he could get more net value from an
acre to be used in feed for stock than
from the raising Of hay. Corn fodder
he said was worth a, much per ton a> hay
if indiciousy fed Clover as a rotalivc
crop was advocated. IT has great capaC-
itv for gathering nitrogen and adds To
the soil instead of drawing from it,
Winter rye, in his section where the soil
was bare much of the winter he favored
rs uprotcCtion and also rs II profitable crop.
lie gave results of experiments in feeding
corn fodder as compared with hay, and
found the corn fodder mt least equal to
II Y in + pdt NJ +, suit. Thou Iht fodder
from sweet corn preferable to that from
other corn. He thought that the corn
fodder and corn of IL ripe acre was of
acre of cn>lugc fodder. Numerous ques-
lions were asked AT this stage of pro-
cccding tending to draw out points that
our people are Interested To have deter
mined
The afternoon session commenced ut
the hour appointed and on account of the
severity of the weather the evening pro-
grnmmc was also included 80 a. to avoid
an evening meet NJ.
Best methods Of corn culture was the
theme for afternoon and it was really II
continuation of the subject Of the morn
ing. Mr.. Harris of Cumberland and Mr.
Ellis of Waldo occupied the greater part
of the time to the satisfaction of those
present Mr.. Dcering, of York, read an
able and comprehensive paper upon Yves
tern competition that was listened to with
close attention. He comtrastcd prices in
Maine with prices in western States. 1t
takes = steers in Texas to equal in money
value in Maine; 2 cows in Iowa to equal
in cash product in Maine; 3 tons of
hay in Illinois to equal in Maine; 81
acres of coru in Kansas or Nebraska To
produce rs much cash rs | in Maine
Maine products are advancing in quality.
She ranks Sd in horses and is rapidly ad-
Yancing toward the first place. Stock is
rapidly improving in the State while that
in the far west is dctcrioratng. He spoke
against Jerseys rs general farm stock and
advocated stock that would be available
for beef as W, Il as milk.
At the conclusion of this address, Sen
ator Flint was called upon. He said we
were unfortunate in the State of Maine
being little too large for MS. We must
employ more men and teams on our farms
or cultivate less land, Not in 100 far
mcrs in Maine keeps accurate accounts
with the farm He was one of the great
majority. Farming is in transition
state in Maine His present practice AS IA
rule is to make "A years rotation of crops
3 crops of potatoes or corn and grain
with . of grass, Farmers should cult
vate what land they can properly and
turn the remainder out to pasture rather
than 20 over too much territory.
X. w. Brown of Skowhcgan, spoke in
a associated understanding and stock
raising. Have II good home market
the price of beef at cents is good one
when compared with other staple pro-
duets and articles of merchandise,
Horace Eaton, of Skowhegan, said he
had Travelled extensively las far rs Ban
gor," had done something in farming
Had tried hard but failed to be II good
looking man like the gentleman who pre-
coded him.
Clark 4. Smith, of Cornvllc, said
there was great lack of system in farm
ing. If farmers got out even or Il little
better at the close of the year they we're
too apt to be content with the years
work Was surprised at the acquisitions
made upon the old farm and what the old
farm would do every year in providing
home for the family, giving all Il good
living, sending boys to school and college
and hOnorng these continued drafts year
after year.
S, ID. Arnold, of Skowhcgan, in re
Spouse to Il call said he knew nothing
about farming but did know good deal
about farmers. He had lived off of them
for many years. He had also travel, Il as
far as Bangor and further in the other
direction, Had been West and to the Pa
cihc coast but found no place like Maine.
Maine has the best land the best climate,
the best fruits, the best meats and the
best men and women.
On motion Of Ansel Holway, Master of
Skowhegan Grange, Il vote of thanks was
rendered the members of the Board of
Agriculture for their able addresses and
remarks and the Institute adjourned
There were about 80 ladies and gentle
men in attendance notwithstanding the
great severity of the storm Had the
weather been fine the attendance would |
have been large,
Miss Burr of Bangor, daughter of b. |
A. Burr, of the Bangor Wing and Courier
reported the discussions and remarks for
Secretary Gilbert
Secretary Gilbert, Mr., Iersey and Miss
Burr left on the afternoon train Friday, |
the other members remained until Satur-
day morning. The party stopped at He
| tel Ileselton.
WILL YOU SUFFER with dyspepsia and